Authorities reportedly ordered Google to reveal the identities of some YouTube videos' viewers You apparently don't have to do anything illegal for law enforcement to ask for your Google data. - Upgoat

Authorities reportedly ordered Google to reveal the identities of some YouTube videos' viewers You apparently don't have to do anything illegal for law enforcement to ask for your Google data.
submitted by dosvydanya_freedomz to technology 1 monthMar 24, 2024 11:49:32 ago (+7/-0) (www.engadget.com)
https://www.engadget.com/authorities-reportedly-ordered-google-to-reveal-the-identities-of-some-youtube-videos-viewers-140018019.html

Federal authorities in the US asked Google for the names, addresses, telephone numbers and user activity of the accounts that watched certain YouTube videos between January 1 and 8, 2023, according to unsealed court documents viewed by Forbes. People who watched those videos while they weren't logged into an account weren't safe either, because the government also asked for their IP addresses. The investigators reportedly ordered Google to hand over the information as part of an investigation into someone who uses the name "elonmuskwhm" online.

Authorities suspect that elonmuskwhm is selling bitcoin for cash and is, thus, breaking money laundering laws, as well as running an unlicensed money transmitting business. Undercover agents reportedly sent the suspect links to videos of YouTube tutorials for mapping via drones and augmented reality software in their conversations back in early January. Those videos, however, weren't private and had been collectively viewed by over 30,000 times, which means the government was potentially asking Google for private information on quite a large number of users. "There is reason to believe that these records would be relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation, including by providing identification information about the perpetrators," authorities reportedly told the company.

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[ - ] PearofAnguishJuniorManager 1 point 1 monthMar 24, 2024 12:07:23 ago (+1/-0)

The article says someone was selling bitcoin for cash. I guess I don’t know how bitcoin works. I thought you could trade bitcoin for dollars, same as gold. What if I’m a bitcoin billionaire and I want to buy land from someone that doesn’t want payment in bitcoin?

[ + ] Xantha

[ - ] Xantha 1 point 1 monthMar 24, 2024 15:19:28 ago (+1/-0)

You can exchange Bitcoin directly for USD, most of the time....Bitcoin (and most crypto in general) functions essentially no different than a forex change. I have dollars, the landowner wants it in yen, for big retard reasons, maybe I cant just do USD->Yen, so we do USD->Pesos->Yen instead.

Given the unclear nature of the article, it may be a situation where he was selling bitcoins for giftcards to avoid taxes, further obscuring where the money was coming from and going to, and thats what got the shekel-worshippers big mad.

[ + ] PearofAnguishJuniorManager

[ - ] PearofAnguishJuniorManager 0 points 1 monthMar 24, 2024 17:34:58 ago (+0/-0)

Thanks.

[ + ] Centaurus

[ - ] Centaurus 0 points 1 monthMar 24, 2024 18:03:41 ago (+0/-0)

Authorities suspect that elonmuskwhm is selling bitcoin for cash and is, thus, breaking money laundering laws, as well as running an unlicensed money transmitting business.

Ya, what the fuck is that?

[ - ] RabbiKinderschtupper 0 points 1 monthMar 24, 2024 12:15:10 ago (+0/-0)

If you actually do do something illegal, Google makes it a nightmare to get any data. Law enforcement have to be extremely particular with time and geographic data when issuing warrants "for privacy" when actual crimes have been committed.

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